A/N: The wonderful world of Exile (Avernum) remains the property of Jeff Vogel and Spiderweb Software. I promise, following this bit of non-profit fun, to return to the game unharmed the following persons: Anaximander, Gordon, Habecker, Thereza, and Levy; and places: Fort Emergence.
They stepped out of the quarters and into one of many cavernous halls of Fort Emergence. The corridors were eerily quiet. Only a small fraction of the troops that would be stationed here had yet arrived.
As they moved through, they met a young, scrawny man with short, sandy brown hair. He bowed to them respectfully as they approached.
"Greetings to you, adventurers," he said. "I am Gordon."
"Hi, Gordon," said Anicka. "Exactly what is it you do?"
"Well, I'm sort of the servant for the guest quarters," said Gordon. "I sort of keep everything clean, prepare meals, that sort of thing."
"Why would the guests get their own servant?" said Anicka.
"Well, when important guests such as yourselves come, they expect to be treated well, with as much luxury as we can summon," said Gordon. "That sort of thing. Unfortunately, there's one problem."
"What's the problem?" said Frrrrrr, his nephil accent barely perceptible.
"Well, we're trying to get the fort ready for all the troops that will eventually be here. Unfortunately, we're totally not ready yet," said Gordon, looking scared. "Please, don't try to get me into trouble! It's not my fault if anything goes wrong! I just sweep!"
"I thought you just said you're responsible for the guest quarters?" said Phaedra.
"Yes, and this is my main responsibility," he said, grabbing a broom.
"Don't worry, we're not going to get anyone in trouble," said Anicka. "We just have to go get our orders."
They moved on, and into the nicer, more carefully built chambers where high-ranking officials worked, and they had been informed that here, Anaximander had his office.
They passed through the door and entered a large, dimly lit office. It was filled with stacks of papers, maps, plans, scraps covered with notes, and the like. It also contained many plates and mugs—all in need of washing. In addition to all the other clutter, there was a ratty man whose clothes and hair were in extreme disarray. He twitched constantly with nervous energy and leaped up, rushing over to great them.
"Greetings, my friends! I am so glad you're finally here. I am Anaximander. As Commander Johnson commands the military half of the fort, I run the somewhat ... ummm ... more covert operations," he said, speaking quickly. "I will be the person you report to for further instructions during your explorations. When you do something, come to me. When you don't do something, come to me. When you're just plain confused, come to me."
He returned to his seat and sorted through papers, looking for something, and coming up empty.
"Damn! I had a map to a nearby goblin outpost. There's a bandit lair, too, in the caves," said Anaximander. "We want you to go there and learn to work as a team before you get your next orders. There's a map to there around here somewhere. Search a bit."
"Sure," said Anicka, wondering why there had been such secrecy and bizarre things in her training if they were simply sending them to deal with goblins and bandits.
Finding the map in plain sight in the next room, they started heading south when they met a portly bearded man in nondescript robes.
"Oh, hello," he said. "I'm Habecker. Can I help you?"
"What job do you do here?" asked Anicka.
"Well, I was hired to do research for the fort," said Habecker. "Which is why I'm so bored. Nothing to do yet."
"I see," said Anicka, "well, we need to get going."
They continued, the southern courtyard of Fort Emergence crowded with large carts and giant lizards. massive piles of supplies shipped into this fort, as all the settlements of Upper Avernum were still works in progress. Fortunately, there was no danger of assault from the giant lizards, as their teeth and claws had been filed by their merchant owners.
Just as they were about to leave, they met another young woman with long, dark hair, looking uncomfortable at their approach, although she said, "I am Thereza."
"Hello, Thereza," said Anicka. "I'm Anicka. You seem rather uncomfortable. What's wrong?"
"Because we both work for Unspecified. The department of spies, lone wolf mages, adventurers, and everyone else working for Avernum that isn't in the army. Also the source of eternal resentment on the part of the military. We both are on assignment. We deal in secrets. And if I tell you things, those things are no longer secrets, and you might give them up," said Thereza. "Nothing personal. You just can't be allowed to know what I know."
"Is that the only reason you're uncomfortable?" asked Anicka.
"Well, almost. You see, I was supposed to get a bundle of records from the Portal Fort. It was supposed to get here weeks ago, but there has been no sign of the courier," said Thereza. "it's nothing crucial, but I really wish those papers would arrive."
"We're supposed to head out," said Anicka. "We'll look for any lost couriers on the way."
"Thank you," said Thereza.
Just outside the fort, the road near Fort Emergence was patrolled by a band of Avernite soldiers, seemingly not very alert. Not that they needed to be—an attack was unlikely to come from this side. When they saw this group, though, they marched toward them, seeming to want to talk.
"Let's go see what they want to say," said Anicka.
The guards approached and said, "Just so you know, if you're heading north, you should watch out for goblins and bandits. There has been some trouble up there. Keep your eyes open."
"Yes, sir," said Anicka.
At first, the men approaching looked like traveling merchants, perhaps bringing goods to Fort Emergence. When they got close and drew weapons, however, Anicka suddenly realized they were bandits.
The leader said, "Well, now, if it isn't adventurers! And not just any old adventurers either, but the new heroes of Avernum. Well, since you're so might, you can surely spare ten coins to help out a few lowly travelers, yes?"
"I don't think so," said Daniel. "I don't know where you get your information from, but we're not that high and mighty ... but the likes of you, the caves would be better without."
The refusal was met with expected hostility, and they fought a battle there in the open cavern of Upper Avernum, and despite getting bloody, Anicka's team was victorious.
"You know, Daniel," she said, "you want to be a hot head, you better let us know first, so we can be ready."
"I'm sorry," said Daniel, sounding contrite. "It's just ... never did like bandits."
"I know," said Anicka. "They say that ...well, assuming my mother had it right, which is probably too much to assume, but that my father wasn't one who'd let bandits go by unchallenged."
"Who's that?" said Angarahad.
"Well, my mother claims that my father was none other than Ansel, one of the assassins of the Emperor," said Anicka. "Of course, she slept with half of Silvar, so it really could be just about anyone."
"Ewww, do you smell that?" said Frrrrrr, feline nose twitching delicately.
"Sorry, no, don't have a kitty sense of smell," said Anicka. "What is it?"
"There are goblins close by here," said Frrrrrr. "I smell their trash."
"We'll follow your nose and hold ours," said Anicka. She got out the map, and unrolled it. "Certainly fits with the map here."
"Yes," said Daniel. "We should be ready. As soon as we can smell it, too, we're probably too close to danger."
"You can talk, too close to danger mister," said Anicka.
Angarahad said, "You two should stop bickering. Don't you wonder what the real assignment is?"
"Sure, Angie," said Anicka. "If you got a clue, I'm all ears."
"Well, I don't know," said Angarahad, "but I think they're testing us still. To see how we get on together in tough work."
"OK, so we don't want to fail this job," said Anicka. "I get it. All right, Dan, peace?"
Daniel took Anicka's outstretched hand, and said, "Yeah. Make love and not war, right?"
Anicka slapped him across the face and said, "I'm not that kind of girl."
"Fuck, I'm sorry!" said Daniel. "You think about taking the armor off before you slap like that? I didn't mean nothing."
"It's best you don't say anything more," said Nathan. "You're just going to get your foot deeper in your mouth. You'll probably end up married before we end this gig."
"Give me a break," said Anicka.
"Shhh," said Frrrrrr.
Frrrrrr led the way, wending through the tall stalagmites choking the tunnel, his tail twitching, and the sound of guttural grunting began echoing back toward them. He edged ahead carefully, motioning for the others to stop and peer ahead. A band of goblins were sitting and guarding a tunnel, as yet not having noticed the group.
"Well, there they are," said Anicka. "I'm sure we're supposed to do more than spot and go back and say we saw goblins."
"Are we ready to attack, then?" said Daniel.
"Sure," said Anicka, now that she was not feeling so bruised from the earlier fight with the bandits. "Let's go for it."
They quickly beat down the goblins, despite the wolves with them.
"Well, that was easy," said Anicka.
"Don't get over-confident," warned Daniel.
"Totems and a true cave mouth ahead," said Frrrrrr.
"OK, we need to plan this out," said Anicka. "Frrrrrr, you see the best, you lead. I'll follow, and then Dan. And then Phaedra and Angie, and Nathan backs us all up and guards against getting surrounded."
The goblins here definitely were well entrenched, as twisting cave upon twisting cave revealed small chambers filled with lice-ridden pallets and piles of trash, the cave floor becoming slick with goblin blood.
"All right," said Anicka, "I think we better go back to Fort Emergence and rest up. That was harder than I expected."
"Still, I think we are starting to work well as a team," said Angarahad. "That should please Anaximander."
"We'll talk to him when we get back," said Anicka.
It was the day's last candlemark when they returned to Fort Emergence, and finding everyone had settled down for the night, they made their way to the quarters they'd been shown when they first arrived.
At the first candlemark, they ate, and then made their way to Anaximander's office.
"You're returned," said Anaximander. "So soon?"
"Well, we found the goblins and took care of them," said Anicka. "We think we're getting on well as a team. Are we ready for our next orders?"
"All right," said Anaximander. "One of the skills that is important to your assignment is mapping. I want you to go map Upper Avernum. When you've returned, we'll see how that compares to official maps, and give you your next orders."
Sometimes I really hate Unspecified Services, thought Anicka. They never tell you shit.
"Are there further questions? Anything at all," said Anaximanader.
"What's this really all about?" said Anicka.
"I'm afraid that's classified, still," said Anaximander. "When you've a need to know ..."
"We'll know," said Anicka. "Fine. I guess we got some mapping to do, then."
"Be sure to see Levy for your allowance," said Anaximander.
"Thank you," said Anicka.
Following the marked pathways, they came to Levy's office.
Behind the counter, Levy was an impeccably-dressed pale Avernite, and he checked his notes as the group entered. "Ah yes," he said. "I am Levy, quartermaster and keeper of the Orb of Thralni. How may I help you?"
"What's the Orb of Thralni?" said Daniel.
"An irreplaceable and ancient artifact. It gives its possessor the power of flight," he said, flashing them a small, tight smile. "If you ever need to borrow it, be sure to give me a request."
"Sounds useful," said Anicka. "May we borrow it?"
He gave a smug smile and without a pause said, "Request denied. Perhaps you could request again later. Though I doubt it will do you any good."
Resisting the urge to smack him in the face to remove the smug grin, Anicka said, "So what else do you do?"
"I am in charge of making allowances for those in Avernum's employ," said Levy. "I also provide rewards for those who perform exceptional services. And I obtain equipment to supply the soldiers here."
"May we have our allowance?" said Anicka.
Levy checked the records, and counted out a small pile of coins. "You've been budgeted twenty-five coins per diem. Here's today's allowance," he said, "Don't spend it all in one temple."
"I'll try not to," said Anicka. "We will be needing parchments and ink."
"Of course," said Levy. "I hoped you'd ask for the equipment. Here." He brought out a satchel and placed it on the counter.
Daniel looked inside, seeing it was filled with parchments, bottles of ink, and quills.
"This'll do," he said.
"I guess that's all," said Anicka. "We'll be going then."
Leaving Fort Emergence again, Anicka said, "I guess let's continue north until we get to the end of Upper Avernum, and then west, and south, east and then go back and fill in the middle. Does that work, Dan?"
"That's a good plan," said Daniel, and he began the note-taking.
As they continued north, they came to an eerily silent corridor, decorated by many totems and signs with dire warnings.
"These are the bandits," said Phaedra, disgust in her voice. "They should be dealt with, displaying their position like this ..."
"And the army couldn't?" said Anicka.
"Army doesn't tend to stick their way into every little cave," said Angarahad. "And we do."
"I just don't like the idea of being called expendable," said Anicka.
"I know what you mean," said Daniel. "We'll just have to prove them wrong, huh?"
"All right," said Anicka, taking the challenge. "Let's go."
They moved forward, finding a small group of bandits guarding the passage further in. These were a scrawny, ill-fed lot, apparently those left behind while the stronger ones went out to get rich.
As the group approached, they were obviously nervous, whispering to each other, as though they recognized the group.
One stepped forward and said, "That's far enough, Avernites. One more step, and you'll eat our steel."
"You got steel?" said Anicka. "Cool!"
With that, she led the attack, drawing her sword. The bold approach dispelled what little courage the men had remaining, and they turned and ran like mad.
"I did not know a human could run so fast," said Frrrrrr.
"Being about to shit your breeches does that," said Anicka.
Despite difficulties of being shot at, they managed to find a hidden passage, and then from there into the heart of the bandit den. Killing a mage who seemed to be leader, they paused to read some of the records here. Many of the books on the shelves were on animal training, and there were multiple notebooks filled with notes regarding the training of a large number of wolves. Records told that the bandits found the pack hiding in the caves when the Avernites started to build Fort Emergence. The bandits spirited the wolves away to raise. How the bandits had gotten to Upper Avernum in the first place, however, was not recorded.
"Bet Anaximander will be interested in that," said Anicka.
Moving through the locked door with the help of Phaedra's spell, they found a mage's journal written in a neat hand amongst the well-thumbed, sticky-paged crude fiction. The bandits, it seemed had only been here a matter of months, planning to raid nearby settlements as boldly as possible until Avernum brought in the full complement of troops, at which point they planned to escape to the surface.
"This is interesting," said Daniel. "Theft of some sort of statuette from the 'weirdies'. Doesn't say what they did with it."
"We'll look around," said Anicka. "Wonder who the weirdies are."
"Maybe vahnatai," said Nathan. "I heard Ghikra is their place, and if you ever seen them, you'd call 'em weird."
"Never seen them before," said Anicka, "but with this mapping gig, I guess we should go to Ghikra anyhow."